To date I have never hunted form a ladder stand but I am going to this fall. I helped a guy set one up last summer and once we were done I climbed up in it to check it out, I think I fell in love with them right then. My wife bought me one for Christmas this year so I would shut up about it. I think that I will have more room to get positioned when the deer come from the wrong side. I like my hang on stands except when it comes to actually hanging them. We'll see this fall though.

FastEddie ...your as bad as me...lol....I just bought 2 more for this year as well....how can you beat $45 with no shipping charges?....I like the new safety harness they all have now as well...fit better and have that extra, fall safety strap attached to harness....I'll be setting up in pines more this year.....

PS ...about the year around leaving ....I always hit all bolts with a shot of Rustolium paint and then a light camo spread right after assembling ....every few years ...I take them down and wire brush and repaint....straps aren't a concern because I chain all of them and loosen chains and straps after season for tree growth...then mark calender to remember to go back in and tighten all on same day...

I have a total of 14 usable stands ( 6 ladder stands - 8 chain-ons ) on 6 different properties . I have 4 new ladder stands to install . The ladder stands are $50 at Dicks and I have coupons for $10 off $50 purchases . I only use the harness supplied as a backup in case I leave my HSS behind . The stands now come with an adjustable support bar and pins to hold the ladder sections in place . I bought one of the ladder stand skirt / shooting rail ( for $25 on sale ) to try out this year It assembles / disassembles easy and straps to a tree with a bracket .

Out of my 30+ stands, we only have one ladder stand. We bought this one a couple years ago and rarely use it. Not because it's uncomfortable or we don't like it, but because it's in an area that rarely gets hunted due to timing, weather, etc. It is the most comfortable stand we have though, just not very high (12 feet) so it's not in a prime area because of that. Most of our set-ups are 25-30 feet.

I like my ladders (20' guide gear) set up platform is only 17 feet. I have a real hard time setting one up myself, and have to "doctor" the sections so they don't creak but once up I say this is the way to go.

Not knowing where you are going is the best way to get
somewhere you've never been.

I have set mine up by myself a few times and I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IT!!! On more than one occasion, I have come close (too close) to falling while trying to set them up (by myself)! This past season, after a very close call the year before ( I almost had to change my shorts[:o]), I decided to use a second ladder (24' extention ladder) to get up and secure the strap, as opposed to trying to climb the ladder stand before its secure (since that was when I had my "close call"). It worked good for that set up because, it was on a field edge so, I was able to drive right up to the tree . In most cases, it would be easier to just have a second set of hands to hold it steady while you climb up to secure the strap. Either way... please use your head and be safe when setting up any stand, It's really not worth the risk!!! Yeah yeah I know, "thats just common sense" but, sometimes we dont listen to that little voice saying "this is probably a bad idea"!! On another note... DeerCamp had mentioned getting busted a lot in a ladder. I have found that a little "camo" goes a long way!! I like to take some "native" vegitation, be it weeds, switch grass, small branches (twigs), form the area I'm set up in and, zip tie them to the stand. Not a ton of stuff, just enough to break up the outline of the ladder. It's amazing what a difference it can make! I do the same thing with my climbing sticks when using a hang on stand. I've been busted in my stands before but, I've also had deer walk right under me (in a ladder stand) and, have no clue I was even there!